


Carry

by Beth Harker (Beth_Harker)



Category: Newsies (1992)
Genre: M/M, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-30
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2019-09-30 11:37:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17223320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beth_Harker/pseuds/Beth%20Harker
Summary: "You’re gonna have to carry him home,” Racetrack said.David, who hadn’t even taken a sip of the whiskey Race had passed him yet, stopped what he was doing, and glared at the other boy. There was something about the way he was smirking and elbowing Jack that made him bristle. He hadn’t said a word when Blink took a drink, or Mush, or Skittery.





	Carry

“You’re gonna have to carry him home,” Racetrack said.

David, who hadn’t even taken a sip of the whiskey Race had passed him yet, stopped what he was doing, and glared at the other boy. There was something about the way he was smirking and elbowing Jack that made him bristle. He hadn’t said a word when Blink took a drink, or Mush, or Skittery.

“And why would he have to do that?” David demanded archly.

“You wanna find out?”

“I have drank before, you know.”

“Have you?” Mush didn’t sound doubtful exactly, just curious, and maybe a little surprised. Half the time it seemed to David that the newsies thought he hadn’t done anything before meeting them, and half the time they expressed surprise that he hadn’t performed brain surgery, or assembled a telephone (because if not, what was he learning in school, anyway?).

“Passover wine,” David said flatly. He passed Race’s bottle over to Jack, who took a big gulp.

Then Mush wanted to know what else David ate and drank at Passover, and Blink wanted to know whether or not it was fun. At school, some of the boys had made a game of trying to get David talking, about any topic really, as long as they got to make fun of him for saying too much after. He was trying to get used to the idea that the other newsies were asking him questions about his life because they were interested, and not because they wanted to laugh at how he never knew when to shut his mouth. It was a relief when something that David said about Les prompted Skittery to launch into a funny story about Tumbler.

The end of the night came almost too soon. David noted, with some satisfaction, that Race was the one who had to be helped to bed. Blink and Skittery argued over whether they should take his shoes off for him, and if so who should do it, because certainly neither of them wanted to.

As for Jack, he wasn’t stumbling or slurring his speech, but he was in high spirits. He insisted on walking David home. It was cooler outside than in the lodging house, with a starry sky the peaked out between buildings. David could see why Jack liked wandering around at night so much.

“So,” Jack asked, one hand on David’s back. “Are you a wine date?”

“Huh?” David wasn’t sure if he was caught off guard by Jack’s question, or if the other boy’s proximity was making his brain fog up.

“If a guy wants to take you out and impress you, does he gotta buy you steak and wine?”

A guy. David didn’t know how to explain it, but he felt that word, and most especially he felt the nonchalant way that Jack said it. This also could be a trap, but somehow, David didn’t think so. Still, he bit his lip. If there was any time to tell Jack that he didn’t want a guy to take him anywhere date like, now was it.

“I’m more of a coffee date,” David said instead. His mouth had gone dry. He knew what he was getting into, and even worse, he knew he knew what he was getting into, and he was very purposely getting into it anyway. He couldn’t even blame Race’s whiskey, which he hadn’t touched a drop of.

“Let’s go.”

“Now?” Never mind that Jack was already pulling him in the direction of says place, and David was already letting him.

“Now?” Jack imitated David’s question. “Ain’t you the one who is always telling others to seize the day?”

“It’s night,” David said. He started to reach for his pocket watch, and then stopped. He didn’t need to look at it to know that he was meant to be home at least half an hour ago. Maybe he didn’t want to look at it. Jack was waiting for him to agree to go with him, or not agree. “But, I mean… yeah. The sentiment still stands.”

Jack smiled wide, and threw his arm over David’s shoulder. David had to swallow back the contented hum that wanted to escape his throat. He could go with Jack now, and have one cup of coffee, for what it meant if nothing else. Then he could go home, let his parents scold him, feel guilty for keeping them up, but know that the night hadn’t been wasted.


End file.
